Former Gov. John Engler says his new bosses are weary of Washington's political gridlock

GRAND RAPIDS, MI – Former Michigan Gov. John Engler says his bosses are getting tired of Washington politicians who keeping “kicking the can down the road” when it comes to setting tax policy.

“Those cans are now 55-gallon drums and the road is getting pretty damn crowded,” said Engler, president of the Business Roundtable, a group of CEOs of leading U.S. corporations employing 14 million workers with $6 trillion in annual revenue.

Too many tough decisions are being put off until the “lame duck” session that Congress will convene after the November election, said Engler, who served as Republican governor from 1991 through 2002.

“Lame duck sessions are often a pretty flimsy bet,” said Engler in a telephone interview. “I think the CEOs I work for are very concerned that we are not dealing forthrightly with the challenges that face the nation.”

With no clear tax policy beyond Jan. 1, CEOs are unable to make decisions about hiring, expansion or new locations, Engler said. “Meanwhile, the rest of the world is well aware we’re having an election and they’ve decided not to take the year off.”

Ten years after leaving office, Engler said he has been impressed by the reforms Gov. Rick Snyder has been able to achieve during his first 15 months in office.

“I have heard quite positive reports,” he said. “His reputation is that he’s a quick study and he’s decisive.”

Though Engler and his wife, Michelle, purchased a lakefront home in Shiawasee County two years ago, Engler said there are no plans to move back to Michigan, especially for an encore in politics.

“No, no, no, no,” he said when asked if he was interested in a 2014 run at the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Democrat Carl Levin.

Engler, a Michigan State University graduate, also was non-committal when asked whether his triplet daughters, who are juniors in high school, are considering any Michigan colleges.

“They’ve done well on their test scores and their grades are good,” he said. “They’ll have lots of opportunities.”